The Rough Guide to France (Travel Guide eBook)

By Rough Guides

This practical travel guide to France features detailed factual travel tips and points-of-interest structured lists of all iconic must-see sights as well as some off-the-beaten-track treasures. Our itinerary suggestions and expert author picks of things to see and do will make it a perfect companion both, ahead of your trip and on the ground. This France guide book is packed full of details on how to get there and around, pre-departure information and top time-saving tips, including a visual list of things not to miss. Our colour-coded maps make France easier to navigate while you're there. This guide book to France has been fully updated post-COVID-19.

The Rough Guide to FRANCE covers: Paris; The North; Champagne and the Ardennes; Alsace and Lorraine; Normandy; Brittany; The Loire; Burgundy; Poitou-Charentes and the Atlantic coast; The Limousin, Dordogne and the Lot; The Pyrenees; Languedoc; The Massif Central; The Alps and Franche-Comte; The Rhone valley; Provence; The Côte d'Azur; Corsica.

Inside this France travel guide you'll find:

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVERY TYPE OF TRAVELLER
Experiences selected for every kind of trip to France, from off-the-beaten-track adventures in Béziers to family activities in child-friendly places, like Provence or chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas, like Paris.

PRACTICAL TRAVEL TIPS
Essential pre-departure information including France entry requirements, getting around, health information, travelling with children, sports and outdoor activities, food and drink, festivals, culture and etiquette, shopping, tips for travellers with disabilities and more.

TIME-SAVING ITINERARIES
Includes carefully planned routes covering the best of France, which give a taste of the richness and diversity of the destination, and have been created for different time frames or types of trip.

DETAILED REGIONAL COVERAGE
Clear structure within each sightseeing chapter of this France travel guide includes regional highlights, brief history, detailed sights and places ordered geographically, recommended restaurants, hotels, bars, clubs and major shops or entertainment options.

INSIGHTS INTO GETTING AROUND LIKE A LOCAL
Tips on how to beat the crowds, save time and money and find the best local spots for sampling the very best of French food, relaxing on fine sandy beaches and zipping down the slopes in the Alps.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THINGS NOT TO MISS
Rough Guides' rundown of Brittany; Burgundy; The Pyrenees; The Dordogne's best sights and top experiences helps to make the most of each trip to France, even in a short time.

HONEST AND INDEPENDENT REVIEWS
Written by Rough Guides' expert authors with a trademark blend of humour, honesty and expertise, this France guide book will help you find the best places, matching different needs.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Comprehensive 'Contexts' chapter of this travel guide to France features fascinating insights into France, with coverage of history, religion, ethnic groups, environment, wildlife and books, plus a handy language section and glossary.

FABULOUS FULL COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
Features inspirational colour photography, including the stunning Carcassonne Castle and the spectacular Canal du Midi.

COLOUR-CODED MAPPING
Practical full-colour maps, with clearly numbered, colour-coded keys for quick orientation in the Atlantic coast, The Limousin and many more locations in France, reduce the need to go online.

USER-FRIENDLY LAYOUT
With helpful icons, and organised by neighbourhood to help you pick the best spots to spend your time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Insight Guides
• Release date: Apr 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9781839059209

Rough Guides

Rough Guides are written by expert authors who are passionate about both writing and travel. They have detailed knowledge of the areas they write about--having either traveled extensively or lived there--and their expertise shines through on every page. It's priceless information, delivered with wit and insight, providing the down-to-earth, honest read that is the hallmark of Rough Guides.

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Contents

Introduction to France

Where to go

When to go

Author picks

things not to miss

Itineraries

Basics

Getting there

Getting around

Accommodation

Food and drink

The media

Festivals

Sports and outdoor activities

Shopping

Travelling with children

Travel essentials

Paris

The islands

The Champs-Élysées and around

The Louvre

The Opéra district

Beaubourg and around

The Marais

Bastille

The 12e arrondissement

Quartier Latin

St-Germain

The Eiffel Tower quarter

Southern Paris

The Beaux Quartiers

Montmartre and around

La Villette and around

The eastern districts

Around Paris

The North

Dunkerque and around

St-Omer

Calais and around

Boulogne-sur-Mer

Le Touquet

Montreuil-sur-Mer

Crécy and Agincourt battlefields

Parc Ornithologique du Marquenterre

The Somme estuary

Lille

The Flemish Cities

The Somme and its battlefields

Picardy

Champagne and the Ardennes

Reims

Épernay

Troyes

The Plateau de Langres

The Ardennes

Alsace and Lorraine

Strasbourg

The Route des Vins

Colmar and around

Mulhouse

Nancy

Metz

Amnéville

Verdun

Normandy

Seine Maritime

Basse Normandie

Mont St-Michel

Inland Normandy

Brittany

Eastern Brittany and the north coast

Finistère

The Nantes–Brest canal

The southern coast

The Loire

Orléans and around

Bourges

The Cher and Indre

Blois and around

Tours and around

Chinon and around

Saumur and around

Angers and around

Nantes and around

Le Mans

Burgundy

Auxerre and around

The Yonne valley

The Canal de Bourgogne

The Morvan

Nevers

Dijon

The Côte d’Or

The Saône valley

Poitou-Charentes and the Atlantic coast

Poitiers and around

Parthenay

Niort

The Marais Poitevin

Les Sables-d’Olonne and around

The Île de Noirmoutier

La Rochelle and around

The Île de Ré

Rochefort and around

The Île d’Oléron

Royan

Saintes

Cognac

Angoulême and around

Bordeaux and around

The Bordeaux wine region

The Côte d’Argent

The Limousin, Dordogne and the Lot

The Limousin

The Dordogne

The Lot

The Pyrenees

The Pays Basque

The Central Pyrenees

The Eastern Pyrenees

Languedoc

Eastern Languedoc

Southern Languedoc

Western Languedoc

The Massif Central

Auvergne

The southwest

Les Causses

The Cévennes and Ardèche

The Alps and Franche-Comté

Grenoble

The Chartreuse massif

The Hautes-Alpes

Chambéry and around

The Isère valley and the Vanoise

Annecy

Mont Blanc

Lake Geneva

Besançon

Lons-le-Saunier and around

Belfort

The Rhône valley

Lyon

Beaujolais

Vienne

St-Étienne

South to Valence

Valence

Montélimar

Provence

West Provence

Central Provence

Northeast Provence

The Côte d’Azur

Marseille

Cassis

La Ciotat

Bandol and around

Hyères and around

The Corniche des Maures

The Massif des Maures

St-Tropez and around

Ste-Maxime

Fréjus and around

Cannes and around

Antibes and around

Above the Baie des Anges

Nice

The Corniches

Monaco

Menton

Corsica

Bastia and around

Cap Corse

The Nebbio (U Nebbiu)

The Balagne (A Balagna)

The Réserve Naturelle de Scandola

Porto (Portu) and around

Ajaccio (Aiacciu)

Le Golfe de Valinco

Sartène (Sartè) and around

Bonifacio (Bonifaziu) and around

Porto-Vecchio and around

Aléria

Corte (Corti) and around

Central Corsica

Contexts

History

Art

Architecture

Cinema

Books

French

Glossary of architectural terms

Small print

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Introduction to France

You could spend a lifetime of holidays in France and still not come close to exhausting its riches. Landscapes range from the fretted coasts of Brittany and the limestone hills of Provence to the canyons of the Pyrenees and the half-moon bays of Corsica, and from the lushly wooded valleys of the Dordogne and the gentle meadows of the Loire valley to the glaciated peaks of the Alps. Each region looks and feels different, has its own style of architecture, its own characteristic food and often its own dialect. Though the French word pays is the term for a whole country, people frequently refer to their own region as mon pays – my country – and this strong sense of regional identity has persisted despite centuries of centralizing governments, from Louis XIV to de Gaulle.

Industrialization came relatively late to France, and for all the millions of French people that live in its many vibrant cities, the idea persists that theirs is a rural country. The importance of the land reverberates throughout French culture, manifesting itself in areas as diverse as regional pride in local cuisine and the state’s fierce defence of Europe’s agricultural subsidies. Perhaps the most striking feature of the French countryside is the sense of space. There are huge tracts of woodland and undeveloped land without a house in sight, and, away from the main urban centres, hundreds of towns and villages have changed only slowly and organically over the years, their old houses and streets intact, seeming to belong to the natural landscape as much as the rivers, hills and fields.

Despite this image of pastoral tranquillity, France’s history is notable for its extraordinary vigour. For more than a thousand years the country has been in the vanguard of European development, and the accumulation of wealth and experience is evident everywhere in the astonishing variety of things to see, from the Dordogne’s prehistoric cave paintings and the Roman monuments of the south, to the Gothic cathedrals of the north, the châteaux of the Loire, and the cutting-edge architecture of the grands projets in Paris. This legacy of history and culture – le patrimoine – is so widely dispersed across the land that even the briefest of stays will leave you with a powerful sense of France’s past.

The importance of these traditions is felt deeply by the French state, which fights to preserve and develop its culture perhaps harder than any other country in the world, and by private companies, which also strive to maintain French traditions in arenas as diverse as haute couture, pottery and, of course, food. The fruits of these efforts are evident in the subsidized arts, notably the film industry, and in the lavishly endowed and innovative museums and galleries. From colonial history to fishing techniques, aeroplane design to textiles, and migrant shepherds to manicure, an array of impressive collections can be found across the nation. Inevitably, however, first place must go to the fabulous displays of fine art in Paris, a city which has nurtured more than its fair share of the finest creative artists of the last century and a half, both French – Monet and Matisse for example – and foreign, such as Picasso and Van Gogh.

There are all kinds of pegs on which to hang a holiday in France: a city, a region, a river, a mountain range, gastronomy, cathedrals, châteaux. All that open space means there’s endless scope for outdoor activities, from walking, canoeing and cycling to skiing and sailing, but if you need more urban stimuli – clubs, shops, fashion, movies, music – then the great cities provide them in abundance.

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Sauzon harbour at low tide, Belle-Île, Brittany

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Fact file

With a land area of 547,000 square kilometres, France is the largest country in the EU; its population of 67.2 million is second only to that of Germany.

France has a long secular republican tradition dating back to the revolution of 1789. Yet the majority of its population is Roman Catholic – nominally, at least – and there’s a substantial Muslim minority of around 8 to 10 percent.

Annual GDP per capita is around $44,000, making France one of the world’s richest countries, but unemployment is a persistent problem, at around 8 percent. Taxes are high, at around 30 percent, but so is social spending, at almost 30 percent.

France remains by far the world’s most popular tourist destination, with some 86 million visitors annually.

The French film industry is the world’s fifth most prolific.

Contrary to its self-image as a bastion of gastronomy, the country is also the second largest consumer of McDonalds’ burgers after the US, flipping more than a million Big Macs daily.

A great source of confusion when meeting and greeting French people is the double kiss, or bise. When it is appropriate, and how many times to do it, which cheek to start with, whether to touch or air kiss, what to do with your hands, or whether it’s better to shake hands instead, are all matters that can even vex the French who have been brought up with it. For foreign visitors it can all be very confusing – not least because norms vary between regions, social situations and age groups. When in doubt, hang back, copy what everyone else does, and go left for the first one.

In 1910, a law was passed in France forbidding couples from kissing on train platforms to avoid delayed departures. The law is still in place, though no longer enforced.

Where to go

Travelling around France is easy. Restaurants and hotels proliferate, many of them relatively inexpensive when compared with other developed Western European countries. Train services are admirably efficient, as is the road network – especially the (toll-paying) autoroutes – and cyclists are much admired and encouraged. Information is highly organized and available from tourist offices across the country, as well as from specialist organizations for walkers, cyclists, campers and so on.

As for specific destinations, Paris, of course, is the outstanding cultural centre, with its impressive buildings – not least Frank Gehry’s stunning Fondation Louis Vuitton – and unparalleled art, nightlife and ethnic diversity, though the great provincial cities – Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Marseille – all now vie with the capital and each other for prestige in the arts, ascendancy in sport and innovation in attracting visitors.

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Café life in the Quartier Latin, Paris

Copyright (c) 2016 Christian Mueller/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

Pétanque

For your average Frenchman, any recipe for a relaxing summer’s evening would have to include the three Ps: plane trees (or palms at a pinch); pastis; and that most quintessentially French of games, pétanque. You’ll see this Gallic version of bowls played on countless squares across the country, where groups of mostly elderly or middle-aged men in baggy shorts congregate around gravel-and-dirt boulodromes to lob heavy metal boules at diminutive wooden ones called cochonnets (literally piglets). Pétanque matches played after work and on weekends are part and parcel of the daily rhythm of life, especially in the south.

The game was invented in 1907 in the town of La Ciotat on the Côte d’Azur by an enthusiastic bowler whose rheumatism prevented him from making the usual extended run up. Instead, he devised a version of his favourite sport in which the bowler’s feet stayed planted firmly on the ground (pieds tanqués). The pitch was shortened accordingly, and after the local bar owner firmed up a set of rules, the new game quickly caught on. A whole lexicon has evolved around pétanque to describe different throws and scenarios. Each team, for example, has a mix of pointeurs (pointers), players who place the ball as closely as possible to the jack, and tireurs (shooters), whose job it is to displace the opposition’s balls with spectacular lobs. If the throw falls short, it’s a palouf. If it nudges one of the other team’s balls, it’s made a biberon, or baby’s bottle. Faire la Micheline means to turn up for a game without your own set of boules. Faire la chanson refers to attempts to distract the opposition by chatting between points. And, most insulting of all for wannabe pétanque players from the UK, faire de l’anglais describes a totally hopeless throw.

Finally, if you’re lucky enough to spectate at a complete whitewash, you’ll experience the most ribald of all pétanque traditions, Kissing the Fanny. When a team or individual player loses by 13 points to zero they have to kiss the bare buttocks of a statue or framed picture of a lady named Fanny, usually kept in the nearest bar expressly for the purpose.

For most people, however, it’s the unique characters of the regions that will define a trip. Few holiday-makers stay long in the largely flat, industrial north, but there are some fine cathedrals and energetic cities to leaven the mix. The picture is similar in Alsace-Lorraine where Germanic influences are strong, notably in the food. On the northern Atlantic coast, Normandy has a rich heritage of cathedrals, castles, battlefields and beaches – and, with its cream-based sauces, an equally rich cuisine. To the west, Brittany is renowned for its Celtic links, beautiful coastline, prehistoric sites and seafood, while the Loire valley, extending inland towards Paris, is famed for soft, fertile countryside and a marvellous parade of châteaux. Further east, the green valleys of Burgundy shelter a wealth of Romanesque churches, and their wines and food are among the finest in France. More Romanesque churches follow the pilgrim routes through rural Poitou-Charentes and down the Atlantic coast to Bordeaux, where the wines rival those of Burgundy. Inland from Bordeaux, visitors flock to the gorges, prehistoric sites and picturesque fortified villages of the Dordogne and neighbouring Limousin, drawn too by the truffles and duck and goose dishes of Périgord cuisine. To the south, the great mountain chain of the Pyrenees rears up along the Spanish border, running from the Basque country on the Atlantic to the Catalan lands of Roussillon on the Mediterranean; there’s fine walking and skiing, as well as beaches at either end. Further along the Mediterranean coast, Languedoc offers dramatic landscapes, medieval towns and Cathar castles, as well as more beaches, while the Massif Central, in the centre of the country, is undeveloped and little visited, but beautiful nonetheless, with its rivers, forests and the wild volcanic uplands of the Auvergne. The Alps, of course, are prime skiing territory, but a network of signposted paths makes for great walking too; to the north, the wooded mountains of the Jura provide further scope for outdoor adventures. Stretching down from the Alps to the Mediterranean is Provence, which, as generations of travellers have discovered, seems to have everything: Roman ruins, charming villages, vineyards and lavender fields – and legions of visitors. Its cuisine is similarly diverse, encompassing fruit, olives, herbs, seafood and lamb. Along the Provençal coast, the beaches, towns and chic resorts of the Côte d’Azur form a giant smile extending from the vibrant city of Marseille to the super-rich Riviera hotspots of Nice and Monaco. For truly fabulous beaches, however, head for the rugged island of Corsica, birthplace of Napoleon and home to an Italian-leaning culture and cuisine, and some fascinating Neolithic sculptures.

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Évisa, Corsica

Copyright (c) 2015 leoks/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

La Grande Boucle

Each year, in the sweltering heat of July, millions of people take up positions on roadsides around France to cheer, shout and bellow cries of encouragement to a peloton of nearly 200 cyclists as they speed past in a stream of day-glo lycra. Millions more watch on television – though few of them are cycling aficionados. Because the Tour de France is far more than a mere bike race. For the French, it’s a national institution; a symbol of unity; a chance, as the riders pit themselves against the toughest terrain the mighty héxagone can throw at them, to admire the scenic splendour of the country in all its summer glory, with the fields of the Garonne’s sunflowers in full bloom, the Côte d’Azur at its most sleek, and the craggy Alps basking under boundless blue skies.

Started in 1903, the Tour was born out of the rivalry between two sporting papers, L’Auto and Le Vélo, as a ruse to boost sales. The passion it incited nearly scuppered the event in its second year, when riders were beaten up by rival fans and cheating was rife (racers were spotted jumping into cars and taking trains). These days, in the wake of a series of high-profile doping scandals, performance-enhancing drugs pose the main threat to the survival of the 3600-km (2200-mile) race, though La Grande Boucle (the Great Loop), as it’s known, still casts a powerful spell over the nation. And it’s not just an obsession for the French. In 2012, Bradley Wiggins clinched the title – the Tour’s first British winner – since which time Brits have dominated: Chris Froome won in 2013 and then in three consecutive years between 2015 and 2017, before Welsh wonder Geraint Thomas took the title in 2018. The 2022 title was won by Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard.

When to go

The most important factor in deciding when to visit France is tourism itself. As most French people holiday in their own country, consider avoiding the main French holiday periods – mid-July to the end of August. At this time almost the entire country closes down, except for the tourist industry itself. Easter, too, is a bad time for Paris: half of Europe’s schoolchildren seem to descend on the city. For the same reasons, ski buffs should keep in mind the February school ski break. And don’t be caught on the roads during the last weekend of July or August, and least of all on the weekend of August 15.

Generally speaking, climate (see page 73) needn’t be a major consideration in planning when to go. Northern France, like nearby Britain, is wet and unpredictable. Paris has a marginally better climate than New York, rarely reaching the extremes of heat and cold of that city, but only south of the Loire does the weather become significantly warmer. West coast weather, even in the south, is tempered by the proximity of the Atlantic, and is subject to violent storms and close thundery days even in summer. The centre and east, as you leave the coasts behind, have a more continental climate, with colder winters and hotter summers. The most reliable weather is along and behind the Mediterranean coastline and on Corsica, where winter is short and summer long and hot.

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Author picks

Our author recommendations don’t end here. We’ve flagged up our favourite places – a perfectly sited hotel, an atmospheric café, a special restaurant – throughout the Guide, highlighted with the ê symbol.

Our authors have travelled the length and breadth of France, exploring pretty villages and busy markets, sipping heady red wines in Bordeaux and tackling myriad walking trails. Here are their (off-the-beaten-track) highlights:

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Haut Koenigsbourg, Alsace

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Multicultural adventures Le Comptoir Général in Paris (see page 126), hidden away off the Canal St-Martin, is an irresistible and almost indefinable find – equal parts museum, thrift store, club and bar, with a freewheeling and inspiring emphasis on the African diaspora.

Fine fizz Where better to sample champagne than in the village of Dom Pérignon? At the laidback Au 36 (see page 180), tastings come with expert advice and delicious, paired food.

Wild swimming The iconic Pont d’Arc (see page 533), a natural limestone arch spanning the River Ardèche, forms a magnificent backdrop for a river swim.

Must-see masterpiece The Romanesque carving of Isaiah in Souillac’s twelfth-century Church of Sainte-Marie (see page 427) captures a moment of pure ecstasy.

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Route des Crêtes

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Awesome castle With its turreted towers soaring from a wooded hilltop in Alsace, Haut Koenigsbourg (see page 195) is like a vision from a medieval fairy tale.

Mountain road Panoramic views to the distant Alps extend from the spectacular Route des Crêtes (see page 199) in the Vosges – one of France’s most scenic drives.

Easy riding The antithesis of the Tour de France, the tow path lining the Canal de Bourgogne (see page 343) between Migennes and Dijon offers a gentle ride though classically beautiful French scenery.

Small-town festival Scores of hot-air balloons and thousands of spectators converge on the northern French town of Chalon-sur-Saône (see page 361) over the weekend of Pentecost for this lively balloon fest.

Into the blue The turquoise shallows surrounding the Îles Lavezzi in Corsica (see page 711), are among the most transparent waters in all the Mediterranean – perfect for snorkelling and diving.

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30

things not to miss

It’s not possible to see everything that France has to offer in one trip – and we don’t suggest you try. What follows, in no particular order, is a selective taste of the country’s highlights, including wonderful architecture, breathtaking landscapes and delectable food and wine. All entries have a page reference to take you straight into the Guide, where you can find out more. Coloured numbers refer to chapters in the Guide section.

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1 Corsican beaches

See page 680

Some of France’s best beaches are found on Corsica, with its white-shell sand and turquoise water.

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2 Abbaye de Fontenay

See page 344

This complex Burgundian monastery has a serene setting in a stream-filled valley.

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3 Cycling

See page 63

Cycling is an ideal way to explore France’s scenic back roads, and there are some great long-distance cycle routes, too, such as those that lace the Alps.

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4 Champagne tasting at Épernay

See page 177

Dom Pérignon is the most famous, but there are plenty of other bubblies to try in the cellars of Épernay’s maisons.

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5 Aix-en-Provence

See page 622

Aix is Provence’s regional capital, and with its wonderful market, top-class restaurants and lively bars, it makes a very satisfying stop.

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6 Winter sports in the Alps

See page 545

The French Alps are home to some of the world’s most prestigious ski resorts, offering a wide range of winter sports.

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7 Bayeux Tapestry

See page 231

This 70-metre-long tapestry is an astonishingly detailed depiction of the 1066 Norman invasion of England.

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8 The Louvre

See page 88

The palace of the Louvre cuts a grand classical swathe through the centre of Paris and houses what is nothing less than the gold standard of France’s artistic tradition.

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9 Les Gorges du Verdon

See page 627

The mighty gorges are Europe’s answer to the Grand Canyon, and offer stunning views, a range of hikes, and colours and scents that are uniquely, gorgeously Provençal.

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10 Châteaux of the Loire

See page 315

The River Loire is lined with gracious châteaux, of which Chenonceau is one of the most elegant.

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11 Les Calanques

See page 647

The cliffs between Marseille and Cassis offer excellent hiking and isolated coves that are perfect for swimming.

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12 Medieval Provençal villages

See page 620

Provence’s hilltop villages attract visitors by the score. Gordes is one of the most famous.

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13 Mont St-Michel

See page 239

One of France’s best-loved landmarks, Mont St-Michel is a splendid union of nature and architecture.

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14 St-Ouen flea market

See page 111

It’s easy to lose track of an entire weekend morning browsing the covetable curios at St-Ouen, the mother of Paris’s flea markets.

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15 War memorials

See pages 161, 160 and 160

World Wars I and II left permanent scars on the French countryside. The dead are remembered in solemn, overwhelming cemeteries.

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16 Bastille Day

See page 723

July 14 sees national celebrations commemorating the beginning of the French Revolution, with fireworks and parties.

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17 Carcassonne

See page 493

So atmospheric is this medieval fortress town that it manages to resist relentless commercialization and summer’s visitors.

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18 Prehistoric cave art

See page 424

The most impressive prehistoric art in France is found at Lascaux, Dordogne.

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19 Carnac

See page 280

Archeologically, Brittany is one of the richest regions in the world and the alignments at Carnac rival Stonehenge.

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20 Dining out in a Lyon bouchon

See page 586

Famed for its gastronomy, Lyon offers no end of wonderful eating places, not least the old-fashioned bouchons.

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21 Bordeaux

See page 389

Bordeaux was the principal English stronghold in France for years, and is still known for its refined red wines.

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22 Annecy

See page 553

One of the prettiest towns in the Alps, Annecy has a picture-postcard quality which even the crowds can’t mar.

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23 Gorges de l’Ardèche

See page 533

The fantastic gorges begin at the Pont d’Arc and cut their way through limestone cliffs before emptying into the Rhône valley.

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24 Cathar castles

See page 465

These gaunt fortresses are relics of the brutal crusade launched by the Catholic church and northern French nobility against the heretic Cathars.

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25 Amiens cathedral

See page 164

The largest Gothic building in France, this lofty cathedral has a clever son et lumière show.

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26 Canal du Midi

See page 495

Cycling, walking or drifting along the Canal du Midi is the most atmospheric way of savouring France’s southwest.

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27 The GR20

See page 697

Arguably France’s most dramatic – and most demanding – long-distance footpath climbs through and over Corsica’s precipitous mountains.

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28 Jardin du Luxembourg

See page 103

Paris’s most beautiful park, in the heart of the laidback Left Bank, is the ideal spot for relaxing.

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29 The Issenheim altarpiece, Colmar

See page 197

Grünewald’s amazing altarpiece is one of the most extraordinary works of art in the country.

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30 Bastide towns

See page 417

Monpazier is the best preserved of Dordogne’s medieval fortified towns – bastides – built when there was fierce conflict between the French and English.

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Itineraries

Create your own itinerary with Rough Guides. Whether you’re after adventure or a family-friendly holiday, we have a trip for you, with all the activities you enjoy doing and the sights you want to see. All our trips are devised by local experts who get the most out of the destination. Visit www.roughguides.com/trips to chat with one of our travel agents.

The following itineraries are designed to lead you up, down and round about la belle France – picking out the crème de la crème of the country’s cities, valleys and mountains, vineyards and coastline. The trips below give a flavour of what the country has to offer and what we can plan and book for you at www.roughguides.com/trips.

Le Grand Tour

1 Paris Crossing off the iconic sights takes up most visitors’ first few days, but leave time for soaking up that legendary Parisian chic while relaxing in pavement cafés and squares. See page 80

2 Normandy The chocolate-box port of Honfleur makes the obvious base for day-trips to the Bayeux tapestry (see page 231), D-Day Beaches (see page 233) and Mont St-Michel (see page 239).

3 Loire Valley Use Amboise as your pied-à-terre in the beautiful Loire valley, famed for its fairy-tale castles. See page 314

4 Dordogne An abundance of medieval clifftop castles, prehistoric cave art and sublime local cuisine account for the enduring popularity of the Dordogne. See page 413

5 Carcassonne Take in a couple of the southern Lot’s bastide towns and Cathar castles en route to the magnificently turretted Carcassonne. See page 493

6 Arles, West Provence The elegant Pont du Gard (see page 483) and beautifully preserved theatre at Orange (see page 601) are just two of the many Roman vestiges within reach of Arles.

7 Gorges du Verdon, East Provence String together as many villages perchés as you can on the high road across the Var to the awesome Gorges du Verdon. See page 627

8 The Alps A jaw-dropping journey north through the heart of Europe’s highest mountains culminates with the snowfields of Mont Blanc. See page 558

9 Nancy, Lorraine A serene and refined city, Nancy has one of the most elegant places in Europe – Place Stanislas. See page 200

G Verdun Travel back to the capital via the sobering monument to World War I’s fallen at Verdun. See page 207

Viticultural Odyssey

1 Saumur, Loire Known for its cool-climate-style whites, such as Sancerre, Vouvray and Muscadet, the Loire’s varied wines are best sampled from the pretty town of Saumur. See page 319

2 St-Émilion, Bordeaux St-Émilion is an ideal springboard for visiting the famous châteaux around Bordeaux. See page 396

3 St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Pays Basque In the Pyrenean foothills, St-Jean is a delightfully picturesque medieval town where you can taste the luscious sweet wines of nearby Jurançon. See page 450

4 Béziers, Languedoc The sun-drenched land sweeping from the Mediterranean coast is the world’s largest wine-producing region, and Béziers, its capital, is perfectly placed for tasting forays to Collioure, Banyuls and Faugères. See page 490

5 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Provence The wines produced around this ancient village in the southern Rhône are legendary – and expensive. See page 602

6 Beaune, Bourgogne Burgundy boasts more AOP designation wine than anywhere else, and the medieval town of Beaune is the recommended base. See page 358

7 Colmar, Alsace The Fecht valley, just west of Colmar, is striped with steeply shelving vines – source of Alsace’s finest Rieslings and Gewürztraminers. See page 197

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Iconic Landscapes

1 Les Falaises d’Étretat, Normandy The chalk cliffs, needles and arches of Étretat inspired Monet, Courbet, Flaubert and Maupassant in their day, and now offer a superb, if dizzying, coastal walk. See page 217

2 Les Volcans d’Auvergne With their grassy slopes, cratered summits and ridgetops, the extinct volcanoes running across the Massif Central create a mountain environment unlike any other. See page 512

3 Grande Cascade de Gavarnie, Pyrenees France’s tallest waterfall crashes 423 metres from the awesome Cirque de Gavarnie in the Pyrenees. See page 459

4 Gorges de l’Ardèche Kayak down the magnificent Gorges de l’Ardèche, lined by 300-metre-tall limestone cliffs. Famous landmarks include the Pont d’Arc, the largest natural bridge in Europe. See page 533

5 Golfe de Porto, Corsica The red porphyry cliffs of Corsica’s wild northwest coast rise from a bay of exquisite cobalt blue to a wall of snow-streaked granite mountains. See page 697

6 Mer de Glace, French Alps Hop on the rack railway from Chamonix for a stupendous view of Europe’s largest glacier. See page 563

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Basics

Getting there

The quickest way to reach France from most parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland is by air. From southern England, however, the Eurostar provides a viable alternative, making the journey from London to Paris in as little as two and a quarter hours. The Channel Tunnel is the most flexible option if you want to take your car to France, though cross-Channel ferries are usually cheaper. From the US and Canada a number of airlines fly direct to Paris, from where you can pick up onward connections. You can also fly direct to Paris from South Africa, while the best fares from Australia and New Zealand are generally via Asia.

Whether you are travelling by air, sea or rail, prices increasingly depend on how far in advance you book, but will also depend on the season. Fares are at their highest from around early June to the end of August, when the weather is best, drop during the shoulder seasons – roughly September to October and April to May – and are at their cheapest during the low season, November to March (excluding Christmas and New Year when prices are hiked up and seats are at a premium). Note also that flying at weekends can be more expensive; price ranges quoted below assume midweek travel, and include all taxes and surcharges.

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Fresh loaves on a market stall in Provence

iStock

Flights from the UK and Ireland

Flights between the UK, Ireland and France are plentiful, even from regional airports, though industry consolidation and higher departure taxes mean that the bargain-basement fares of the budget airlines’ heyday are much rarer than they were – so look out for special offers advertised on the airline websites or in the media. The main budget airlines are EasyJet and Ryanair, which between them cover forty or so airports across France, including Bordeaux, Bergerac, Carcassonne, Chambéry, La Rochelle, Montpellier, Nantes, Perpignan, Toulon and Tours, as well as more established hubs such as Paris, Lyon and Nice. Routes change frequently and many destinations are not served all year round, so again keep an eye on the airlines’ websites. It’s also worth double-checking exactly where the airport is in relation to your destination; Ryanair claims to fly to Paris, for example, but in reality flies to Beauvais, a 1hr 15min coach journey from Porte Maillot, west of the city. Tickets work on a quota system, and it’s wise to book ahead for the cheapest fares. If you’re prepared to be flexible about routes and to go out of season then ticket prices can be very low – but surcharges for things like checked-in baggage and priority boarding can all bump up the price considerably, so the price you actually pay will probably be higher than these figures.

It’s worth checking out the traditional carriers, such as Air France, British Airways and Aer Lingus, which have streamlined their schedules and lowered prices in response to the budget airline challenge, and can sometimes be just as cheap.

Air France flies direct to Paris Charles-de-Gaulle (CDG) several times daily from London Heathrow, Dublin and regional airports such as Birmingham and Manchester. Flights to most other French destinations involve a change at Paris. British Airways has several flights a day to Paris CDG from London Heathrow but its flights from provincial airports to Paris involve a change at London. BA also operates flights from London to Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nice and Toulouse. In Ireland, Aer Lingus offers nonstop flights from Dublin and Cork to Paris CDG; from Dublin to Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, Perpignan, Rennes and Toulouse; and from Cork to Rennes; note, though, that some of these routes are seasonal.

Flights from the US and Canada

Most major airlines operate scheduled flights to Paris from the US and Canada. Air France has the most frequent service, with good onward regional connections and competitive fares that sometimes undercut US carriers; it also operates a codeshare with Delta. One possible disadvantage, if your destination is not Paris, is that while Air France transatlantic flights often terminate at Charles-de-Gaulle, domestic connections frequently depart from Orly, entailing an inconvenient transfer between the two airports. Other airlines offering nonstop services to Paris from a variety of US cities include: American Airlines from New York, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia and Miami; Delta from Boston, Washington, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco and Cincinnati; and United from Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Washington DC. Air Canada offers nonstop services to Paris from Montréal and Toronto, while Air Transat offers good-value scheduled and charter flights to Paris from a number of bases and to other destinations from Montréal, Québec or Toronto. Another option is to fly with a European carrier – such as British Airways, Iberia or Lufthansa – to its European hub and then continue on to Paris or a regional French airport.

Transatlantic fares to France have risen sharply in recent years, reflecting green taxes, rising fuel costs and the knock on economic impacts after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Flights from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa

Most travellers from Australia and New Zealand choose to fly to France via London, although the majority of airlines can add a Paris leg (or a flight to any other major French city) to an Australia/New Zealand–Europe ticket. Flights via Asia or the Gulf States, with a transfer or overnight stop at the airline’s home port, are generally the cheapest option; those routed through the US tend to be slightly pricier.

From South Africa, Johannesburg is the best place to start, with Air France flying direct to Paris.

By train

Eurostar operates high-speed passenger trains daily from London’s St Pancras International to France through the Channel Tunnel; many but not all services stop at either Ebbsfleet or Ashford in Kent (15min and 30min from London, respectively). There are 1–2 services an hour from around 5.40am to 8pm for Paris Gare du Nord; fast trains take 2hr 15min; Brussels-bound trains stop at Lille (1hr 20), where you can connect with TGV trains heading south to Bordeaux, Lyon and Marseille; some also stop at Calais (1hr). In addition, Eurostar runs direct trains from London to Disneyland Paris (daily during UK school holidays; otherwise Mon, Wed, Fri & Sun; 2hr 40min) and to the south: Lyon (4hr 40min), Avignon TGV (5hr 50min) and Marseille (6hr 30min), with 1–5 trains running weekly. There is also a special direct twice-weekly ski service to Moutiers, Aime-la-Plagne and Bourg-St-Maurice in the French Alps (mid-Dec to mid-April; 8hr 15min–9hr 35min).

Tickets can be bought online or by phone from Eurostar, as well as through travel agents and websites like http://lastminute.com. InterRail and Eurail passes (see page 57) entitle you to discounts on Eurostar trains. Under certain circumstances, you can also take your bike on Eurostar (see above).

By car via the Channel Tunnel

The simplest way to take your car to France from the UK is on one of the drive-on drive-off shuttle trains operated by Eurotunnel. The service runs continuously between Folkestone and Coquelles, near Calais, with up to four departures per hour (one every 1hr 30min from midnight–6am) and takes 35 minutes. It is possible to turn up and buy your ticket at the check-in booths, though you’ll pay a premium and at busy times booking is strongly recommended; if you have a booking, you must arrive at least thirty minutes before departure. Note that Eurotunnel does not transport cars fitted with LPG or CNG tanks.

There’s room for only six bicycles on any departure, so book ahead in high season.

Rail passes

There is a variety of rail passes useful for travel within France, some of which need to be bought in your home country (for details of railcards that you can buy in France, see page 57). Rail Europe (see page 59), the umbrella company for all national and international rail purchases, is the most useful source of information on availability and cost.

InterRail Pass

InterRail Passes are only available to European residents (British citizens are still allowed to buy InterRail passes, even after Brexit), or those who have lived in a European country for at least six months, and you will be asked to provide proof of residency (and long-stay visa if applicable) before being allowed to buy one. They come in first or second-class senior (over 60), first- or second-class over-27 or second-class under-27 versions, and cover thirty European countries. Children from 4–11 years can travel free as part of a family pass; those under 4 travel free, though they may not get a seat.

There are two types of passes: global and one-country. The global pass covers all thirty countries with various options: five days travel in a fifteen-day period (under-27 £192/over-27 £322); ten days travel within a month; 15 days, 22 days; and one month continuous travel. The family pass is the same price as the over-27 pass per adult. Similarly, the one-country pass allows you to opt for various periods, ranging from three days to eight days travel in one month with prices varying between countries (see http://interrail.eu). In each case, first-class passes are also available.

InterRail Passes do not include travel within your country of residence, though pass-holders are eligible for discounts on Eurostar and on ferries from Rosslare.

Eurail Pass

Eurail Passes are not available to European residents but once ordered can be delivered to a European address (see http://eurail.com). Again, there are various options; the most useful are likely to be the regional passes, covering France with Benelux, Germany, Italy, Spain or Switzerland. The France-Italy pass offers four days of unlimited train travel within two months, or up to ten days within two months. The Saverpass offers 15 percent discount on Eurail passes for between two and five people travelling together, and children named on the pass go free.

Travelling with pets from the UK

If you wish to take your dog or cat to France, the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) enables you to avoid putting it in quarantine when re-entering the UK as long as certain conditions are met. Current regulations are available on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) website http://gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad. Note that since Brexit, taking a pet from the UK to anywhere in the EU requires more paperwork than it did previously and that a UK issued Pet Passport is no longer sufficient.

Ferries

Though slower than travelling by plane or via the Channel Tunnel, the ferries plying between Dover and Calais offer the cheapest means of travelling to France from the UK and are particularly convenient if you live in southeast England. If you’re coming from the north of England or Scotland, you could consider the overnight crossing from Hull (13hr) to Zeebrugge (Belgium) operated by P&O Ferries. It’s also worth bearing in mind that if you live west of London, the ferry services to Roscoff, St-Malo, Cherbourg, Caen, Dieppe and Le Havre can save a lot of driving time. From Ireland, putting the car on the ferry from Cork (14hr) or Rosslare (17hr 30min) to Roscoff in Brittany, or Rosslare to Cherbourg (19hr) in Normandy cuts out the drive across Britain to the Channel.

Ferry prices are seasonal and, for motorists, depend on the type of vehicle. In general, the further you book ahead, the cheaper the fare and it’s well worth playing around with dates and times to find the best deals: midweek and very early or late sailings are usually cheapest.

Some ferry companies also offer fares for foot passengers on cross-Channel routes; accompanying bicycles can usually be carried free.

Buses

Eurolines runs regular services from London Victoria to forty French cities (fewer in winter), with between six and eight a day to Paris, crossing the Channel by ferry or Eurotunnel. Prices are lower than for the same journey by train. If you’re travelling frequently, a Eurolines Discount Card will give you 25 percent off fares, subject to certain restrictions. There’s also a Eurolines Pass which offers Europe-wide travel between 50 European cities for fifteen or thirty days.

Airlines, agents and operators

There are a vast number of travel agents and tour operators offering holidays in France, with options varying from luxury, château-based breaks to adventure trips involving skiing and hiking. The following is a list of the most useful contacts.

Airlines

Aer Lingus http://aerlingus.com.

Air Canada http://aircanada.com.

Air France http://airfrance.com.

Air Transat http://airtransat.com.

American Airlines http://aa.com.

British Airways http://britishairways.com.

Cathay Pacific http://cathaypacific.com.

Delta http://delta.com.

easyJet http://easyjet.com.

Emirates http://emirates.com.

Jet2 http://jet2.com.

KLM http://klm.com.

Lufthansa http://lufthansa.com.

Qantas http://qantas.com.

Ryanair http://ryanair.com.

Singapore Airlines http://singaporeair.com.

South African Airways http://flysaa.com.

United Airlines http://united.com.

Agents and operators

Allez France http://allezfrance.com. UK tour operator offering accommodation only as well as short breaks and other holiday packages throughout France.

Arblaster & Clarke http://arblasterandclarke.com. Wine-themed tours to all the great wine regions, from Champagne to Bordeaux.

Austin-Lehman Adventures http://austinadventures.com. Good range of bike and walking tours all over France for family groups or solo travellers.

Belle France http://bellefrance.com. Walking and cycling holidays throughout France.

Canvas Holidays http://canvasholidays.co.uk. Tailor-made caravan and camping holidays.

Corsican Places http://corsica.co.uk. Corsica specialists.

Cycling for Softies http://cycling-for-softies.co.uk. Easy-going cycle holiday operator to rural France.

Discover France http://discoverfrance.com. Self-guided cycling and walking holidays throughout France.

Eurocamp http://eurocamp.co.uk. Camping holidays with kids’ activities and single-parent deals.

European Waterways http://europeanwaterways.com. Wide range of river cruise options, from hotel barge cruises through Burgundy to boat hire or trips on the Loire.

Fields Fairway http://fieldsfairway.co.uk. British-run company offering all-inclusive golfing holidays in France and Belgium.

France Afloat http://franceafloat.com. France-based UK operator offering canal and river cruises across France.

Headwater http://headwater.com. UK-based operator offering walking, cycling, and canoeing tours throughout France, and cross-country skiing.

Holiday France Direct http://holidayfrancedirect.co.uk. Website offering thousands of properties throughout the country, from cottages and villas to châteaux and mobile homes.

Inntravel http://inntravel.co.uk. Broad range of activity holidays, including riding, skiing, walking and cycling, as well as property rental.

Le Boat http://leboat.com. Self-drive canal holidays all over France.

Locaboat http://locaboat.com. French company specializing in holidays on pénichettes (scaled-down replicas of commercial barges).

North South Travel http://northsouthtravel.co.uk. Friendly, competitive travel agency, offering discounted fares worldwide. Profits are used to support projects in the developing world, especially the promotion of sustainable tourism.

Rail, Channel Tunnel and bus contacts

Eurail http://eurail.com.

Eurolines http://nationalexpress.com.

Eurostar http://eurostar.com.

Eurotunnel http://eurotunnel.com.

International Rail http://internationalrail.com.

Rail Europe http://raileurope.com.

Rail Plus http://railplus.com.au.

SNCF http://sncf.com. For regional train tickets and timetables.

Trainseurope http://trainseurope.co.uk.

Ferry contacts

Brittany Ferries UK http://brittany-ferries.co.uk; Republic of Ireland http://brittanyferries.ie.

Condor Ferries http://condorferries.co.uk.

Corsica Ferries http://corsica-ferries.fr.

DFDS http://dfdsseaways.co.uk.

Direct Ferries http://directferries.co.uk.

Ferry Savers http://ferrysavers.com.

Irish Ferries http://irishferries.com.

P&O Ferries http://poferries.com.

Getting around

With the most extensive train network in Western Europe, France is a great country in which to travel by rail. The national rail company, SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer), runs fast, efficient trains between the main towns. Buses cover rural areas, but services can be sporadic, with awkward departure times. If you want to get off the beaten track the best option is to have your own transport.

By train

SNCF (http://oui.sncf) operates one of the most efficient, comfortable and user-friendly railway systems in the world. Staff are generally courteous and helpful, and its trains – for the most part, fast and clean – continue, in spite of the closure of some rural lines, to serve most of the country. However, regular strike action can complicate travel plans at the last minute.

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Trains

Pride and joy of the French rail system is the high-speed TGV (train à grande vitesse), capable of speeds of up to 300kph, and its offspring Eurostar. The continually expanding TGV network has its main hub in Paris, from where main lines head north to Lille, east to Strasbourg and two head south: one to Marseille and the Mediterranean, the other west to Bordeaux and the Spanish frontier. Spur lines service Brittany and Normandy, the Alps, Pyrenees and Jura.

Intercité is the catch-all brand name for trains providing intercity services on routes not yet upgraded to TGV. Though not as fast, they have decent facilities including restaurant cars. Intercité sleeper services, of which there are now less than a handful, link Paris, Toulouse, the Alps and the south. Local services are covered by TER regional express trains.

Aside from the regular lines there are a number of special tourist trains, usually not part of the SNCF system or covered by normal rail passes, though some offer a discount to rail-pass holders. One of the most popular is the spectacular Petit Train Jaune, which winds its way up through the Pyrenees (see page 474).

Tickets and fares

Tickets can be bought online (see above) or at train stations (gare SNCF). If you have language problems or there are long queues at the counter, note that touch-screen vending machines with instructions in English sell tickets for express services in most stations; separate vending machines for regional (TER) services have basic English labelling. All tickets – but not passes or computerized tickets printed out at home – must be validated in the orange machines located beside the entrance to the platforms, and it’s an offence not to follow the instruction Compostez votre billet (validate your ticket).

Timetables covering particular destinations are available free at stations. The word Autocar (often abbreviated to car) on the timetable signifies that the service is covered by an SNCF bus, on which rail tickets and passes are valid.

Fares are cheaper if you travel off-peak (période bleue or blue period) rather than during peak hours (période blanche or white period); peak period generally means Monday mornings and Friday and Sunday evenings. Tickets are sold a maximum of three months in advance on national trains and four months in advance on TER. You can choose your seat on TGV; reservation is obligatory on certain Intercité services.

On certain mainline routes a limited number of discount tickets, known as tarifs Prem’s can be bought up to ninety days in advance; these are non-refundable and cannot be changed. You can check times and book tickets at http://en.oui.sncf and http://trainline.eu.

Rail passes

SNCF offers a range of travel cards, which are valid for one year, and can be purchased online, through accredited travel agents and from main gares SNCF. For example, the Carte Weekend offers a discount of between 25 and 50 percent for cardholders and a companion for weekend journeys including travel on TGV trains. The Carte Jeune for 12- to 27-year-olds implements a 30 to 50 percent discount at any time. Similar deals are available for the over-60s (Carte Senior) and families with children under the age of 12 (Carte Enfant +).

Non-Europeans also have the option of picking up the France Rail Pass before arriving in France. The pass is available for 3- to 9-day periods.

By bus

SNCF operates bus services between train stations in areas no longer accessible by rail. Additionally, private, municipal and departmental buses can be useful for local and cross-country journeys – for instance along the long coast of the Var, much of which is not served by train. If you want to see much outside the main towns be prepared for early starts and careful planning – the timetable is often constructed to suit market and school hours. As a rule, buses are cheaper and slower than trains.

Larger towns usually have a gare routière (bus station), often next to the gare SNCF. However, the private bus companies don’t always work together and you’ll frequently find them leaving from an array of different points (the local tourist office should be able to help locate the stop you need).

By ferry

Most of France’s coastal islands, which are concentrated around Brittany and the Côte d’Azur, can only be reached by ferry. Local companies run services, with timetables and prices varying according to season. Some routes have a reduced schedule or cease to operate completely in winter months, while in high season booking ahead is recommended on all but the most frequent services.

By air

Arriving by air from outside Europe, you may be able to get a good deal on add-on domestic flights. Air France operates the majority of routes within the country, although competition is hotting up, with the likes of easyJet running internal discount flights from Paris or Lyon to Biarritz, Bordeaux, Brest, Corsica, Nice, Rennes and Toulouse.

By car

Driving in France can be a real pleasure, with its magnificent network of autoroutes providing sweeping views of the countryside. If you’re in a hurry, it’s worth paying motorway tolls to avoid the often congested toll-free routes nationales (marked, for example, RN116 or N116 on signs and maps), many of which have been reclassified as routes départementales in recent years. Many of the more minor routes départementales (marked with a D) are uncongested and make for a more scenic – if slow – drive.

There are times when it’s wiser not to drive at all: in big cities; around major seaside resorts in high season; and at peak holiday migrations such as the beginning and end of the month-long August holiday, and the notoriously congested weekends nearest July 14 and August 15.

Licences, petrol and tolls

US, UK, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, South African and all EU driving licences are valid in France for up to twelve months, though an International Driver’s Licence makes life easier. The minimum driving age is 18 and you must hold a full licence. Drivers are required to carry their licence with them when driving, and you should also have the insurance and registration documents with you in the car.

All the major car manufacturers have garages and service stations in France, which can help if you run into mechanical difficulties. You’ll find them listed in the Yellow Pages of the phone book under Garages automobiles; for breakdowns, look under Dépannages. If you have an accident or theft, contact the local police – and keep a copy of their report in order to file an insurance claim. Within Europe, most car insurance policies cover taking your car to France; check with your insurer. However, you’re advised to take out extra cover for motoring assistance in case your car breaks down.

Road information

Up-to-the-minute information regarding traffic jams and road works throughout France can be obtained from the Bison Futé free-dial recorded information service (0800 100 200; French only) or their website www.bison-fute.gouv.fr. For information regarding autoroutes, you can also consult the bilingual website http://autoroutes.fr. Once on the autoroute, tune in to the national 107.7FM information station for 24-hour music and updates on traffic conditions.

Note that petrol stations in very rural areas tend to be few and far between, and those that do exist usually open only during normal shop hours – don’t count on being able to buy petrol at night and on Sunday. Elsewhere, almost all stations are equipped with automated 24-hour pumps. Some stations sell LPG.

Most autoroutes have tolls: rates vary, but you can rest assured that it’s never cheap! You can work out routes and costs of both petrol and tolls online at the useful http://viamichelin.com. UK motorists can use the Liber-T automatic tolling lanes if their cars are fitted with the relevant transponder; to register in advance for a transponder and for more information see http://emovis-tag.co.uk.

Rules of the road

Since the French drive on the right, drivers of right-hand-drive cars must adjust their headlights to dip to the right. This is most easily done by sticking on glare deflectors, which can be bought at most motor accessory shops, at the Channel ferry ports or the Eurostar terminal and on the ferries. It’s more complicated if your car is fitted with High-Intensity Discharge (HID) or halogen-type lights; check with your dealer about how to adjust these well in advance. Dipped headlights must be used in poor daytime visibility.

All non-French vehicles must display their national identification letters (UK, etc) either on the number plate or by means of a sticker, and all vehicles must carry a red warning triangle, a reflective safety jacket and a single-use breathalyser. Since 2021, if driving in mountain areas between November and the end of March it’s compulsory to have chains or winter tyres in the vehicle (though chains only need to be fitted to the tyres when required). You are also strongly advised to carry a spare set of bulbs, a fire extinguisher and a first-aid kit. Seat belts are compulsory and children under 10 years must travel in an approved child seat, harness or booster appropriate to their age and size.

In built-up areas the law of priorité à droite – giving way to traffic coming from your right, even when it is coming from a minor road – still sometimes applies, including at some roundabouts. A sign showing a yellow diamond on a white background indicates that you have right of way, while the same sign with a diagonal black slash across it warns you that vehicles emerging from the right have priority. Cédez le passage means Give way; vous n’avez pas la priorité means You do not have right of way.

If you have an accident while driving, you must fill in and sign a constat d’accident (declaration form) or, if another car is also involved, a constat à l’amiable (jointly agreed declaration); in the case of a hire car, these forms should be provided with the car’s insurance documents.

Unless otherwise indicated speed limits are: 130kph (80mph) on autoroutes; 110kph (68mph) on dual carriageways; 80kph (50mph) on other roads; and 50kph (31mph) in towns. In wet weather, and for drivers with less than two years’ experience, these limits are 110kph (68mph), 100kph (62mph) and 80kph (50mph) respectively, while the town limit remains constant. Many towns and villages have introduced traffic-calming measures and 30kph limits particularly in town centres where there are lots of pedestrians. Fixed and mobile radars are now widely used. The alcohol limit is 0.05 percent (0.5 grams per litre of blood), and random breath tests and saliva tests for drugs are common. There are stiff penalties for driving violations, ranging from on-the-spot fines for minor infringements to the immediate confiscation of your licence and/or your car for more serious offences. Note that radar detectors and SatNav systems that identify the location of speed traps are illegal in France.

Car rental

To rent a car in France you must be over 21 (25 with some agencies) and have driven for at least a year. The paper counterpart of UK driving licences is now obsolete and therefore for UK licence-holders to prove to any car rental agency that they have not exceeded the maximum twelve penalty points, it is essential to go to the Share Driving Licence Service with the DVLA website (http://gov.uk/dvla) prior to your rental, where you can attain the necessary evidence.

You’ll find the big-name international firms – Avis, Hertz and so on – represented at airports and in most major towns and cities. Local firms can be cheaper but they won’t have the agency network for one-way rentals and you should check the small print. Unless you specify otherwise, you’ll

Reviews for The Rough Guide to France (Travel Guide eBook)

[woollymammoth_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Had a lovely trip around France with this book in 2000.The Rough Guides are very good traveling compainions which combine advice on places to stay the night on all budgets with a real sense of the town.